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Central Notes: Indians, Reds, Cards, Cubs, Bucs, Tigers

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Baseball's general managers are expected to address the topic of home plate collisions at their meetings in November, Buster Olney of ESPN reports, and some sources believe a rule change could come quickly. "At this point, I don't know who would argue to keep it, or what their argument would be," a team official speaking with Olney said. Team sources said they expect baseball to adopt a rule that would guarantee the baserunner an avenue to the plate, but disallow him from targeting the catcher — the same regulation that's in place at all levels of the game below the majors. Here's the latest from the AL and NL central divisions as Detroit and Boston battle for the AL pennant:

  • Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer ran through queries from Indians fans in a new column, ruling out Bartolo Colon as an option for the Tribe's rotation.
  • Longtime Reds writer Hal McCoy, who continues to keep a blog for the Dayton Daily News, examined where things went wrong between the Reds and Brandon Phillips. The team is reportedly shopping the second baseman, and the Braves may be interested.
  • Tyler Kepner of The New York Times attempted to pin down the reasons behind the Cardinals' sustained run of success, noting the front office's knack for player development.
  • Rick Renteria has become "the clear-cut favorite" among candidates for the Cubs' manager job, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets, reporting that support for the Padres bench coach is "staggering."
  • Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review assessed the Pirates' chances of carrying their 2013 success into next season. While the club's young core and farm system are reasons for optimism, several of 2013's key contributors may be lost to free agency in the coming years, and the team could be hampered by its middling revenue streams, Sawchik writes.
  • Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski may look to inject some speed into his club's lineup this offseason, Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press reports. 

Minor Moves: Ramirez, Bernadina, Wells, Rapada, Manship

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We'll keep tabs on today's minor moves via updates to this post.

  • Righty J.C. Ramirez joined outfielders Roger Bernadina and Casper Wells as now-former Phillies players who have elected free agency, according to the International League transactions page. The trio was recently outrighted by Philadelphia. Ramirez, 25, struggled mightily in his first 24 big league innings this year and has not posted a sub-4.00 ERA campaign in the minors since he was 17. Bernadina, 29, was a major contributor for the Nationals in 2012 (.291/.372/.405 slash in 261 plate appearances) before falling off a cliff this season (.181/.250/.295 in 250 plate appearances). And Wells, 28, saw scant MLB action with three teams in 2013, putting up a sub-zero OPS+ after having been an approximately league average hitter over the first three years of his major league career.
  • Sidearming left-handed reliever Clay Rapada has elected free agency from the Indians, also per the International League transactions page. In his first season as a regular big leaguer in 2012, Rapada posted an impressive 2.82 ERA in 38 1/3 innings over 70 appearances. The 32-year-old didn't surrender a run or a walk in 2013, but that was in large part because he threw just four innings for the Indians. Rapada did, however, put up a stellar 2.14 ERA in 33 2/3 Triple-A innings, though he managed only 6.4 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9. 
  • Righty Jeff Manship has elected free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment from the Rockies, according to the Pacific Coast League transactions page. In eleven appearances, including four starts, Manship threw 30 2/3 innings of 7.04 ERA ball for Colorado's top club, matching the general ineffectiveness the 28-year-old has exhibited throughout his career at the highest level. 
  • Remember to follow MLBTR's DFA Tracker for the latest on players that have been designated for assignment by their clubs. At present, only Alex Castellanos of the Dodgers is stuck in DFA limbo.

Indians Re-Sign Matt Capps

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The Indians announced that they have re-signed reliever Matt Capps to a minor league deal.  The pact comes with a non-roster invitation to Major League spring training camp.

Capps, 30, joined the Tribe on a minor league deal last offseason.  The veteran couldn't stay healthy in 2013 and wound up pitching in just six games for the club's Triple-A affiliate.  In eight big league seasons, Capps owns a 3.52 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9.

AL Notes: Hunter, Jimenez, Athletics, Yankees

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Torii Hunter of the Tigers says he could continue playing after his contract expires following the 2014 season, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe tweets. "I can see myself paying beyond 2014," says Hunter. "I'm slim, trim and ready to go." The Tigers signed Hunter to a two-year, $26MM deal last offseason, a year after Hunter told the press he might retire following the 2012 season. Hunter hit .304/.334/.465 as the Tigers' right fielder in 2013. Here's more from around the American League.

  • Pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez will likely void his 2014 option to stay with the Indians, and will instead try the free-agent market, Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer writes. Jimenez posted a 3.30 ERA with 9.6 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 182 2/3 innings for Cleveland this year. Jimenez agreed to team options for his 2013 and 2014 seasons when he signed a long-term deal with the Rockies before the 2009 season, but he received the right to void the $8MM 2014 option when Colorado shipped him to the Indians.
  • Unless there are trades, the Athletics roster isn't likely to undergo dramatic changes this offseason, reports John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. None of Oakland's key position players are set to depart, and they have plenty of starting pitching, even if Bartolo Colon leaves via free agency.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman would prefer to have Alex Rodriguez play in 2014, even if that means the Yankees have to pay his salary, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports. If Rodriguez's 2014 suspension is upheld, that would take the Yankees off the hook for the $25MM they owe him in 2014. "I think if people think there’s some sort of benefit by losing that talent, I mean, you can’t replace it," Cashman says. "It’s not like, ‘All right, well, Alex is gone.’ If he winds up getting suspended and it’s upheld, how do you replace that? It’s not easy."

Quick Hits: Magic, Girardi, Pirates, Bailey

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Magic Johnson's candor about the Dodgers likely not pursuing Robinson Cano this offseason has led Major League Baseball to look into Johnson's comments, ESPN's Buster Olney reports.  Officials on other teams aren't allowed to publicly discuss players who haven't officially become free agents yet, especially in cases where a player's market value could be affected.  General managers around the league told Olney that "their comments were watched more closely over the last year than in any time in recent memory," so Johnson could face some type of penalty for his remarks.

Here are some news items as we end another exciting day of four playoff games…

  • Joe Girardi "apparently remains torn" if he's going to accept the Yankees' extension offer or explore other manager jobs, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.  The Yankees "have made it clear" that they could pull back their offer if Girardi talks to other clubs, something he's not allowed to do until the end of the month since the Yankees aren't granting other teams permission to negotiate with their manager.  One such team, the Cubs, expect to learn by tomorrow if Girardi is staying in New York, a source tells Wittenmyer.
  • The Pirates want to keep Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez over the long term, team president Frank Coonelly tells MLB.com's Tom Singer.  Coonelly also discusses the Francisco Liriano signing, the farm system and other topics during the interview.
  • "It wouldn't be shocking" if the Reds traded Homer Bailey to create some payroll space, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon opines.  Bailey earned $5.3MM last season and MLBTR's Matt Swartz projects that he could earn $9.3MM in arbitration.  Though Bailey has been one of the Reds' best pitchers over the last two years, he "has shown little interest in signing" a multiyear deal with the team, Sheldon writes, so the Reds could move him now before possibly losing him in free agency after next season.
  • Major League Baseball has filed a motion requesting that Alex Rodriguez's lawsuit against the league be moved to a federal court, and if the move is granted, MLB will likely file a motion to dismiss the suit, Newsday's Steven Marcus reports.
  • The Indians have a number of things to do before Opening Day 2014, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  Hoynes' list includes adding an impact bat, adding at least one quality starter, bolstering the relief corps and locking up Justin Masterson to a long-term deal.
  • It once seemed unusual, but now its the norm for playoff teams to turn to inexperienced pre-arbitration eligible players, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca writes.  Among the 24 pre-arb hurlers in this year's postseason are Michael Wacha, Jarrod Parker and Alex Cobb, all of whom started today for their respective teams.

MLBTR's Zach Links contributed to this post

Indians Notes: Payroll, Jimenez, Giambi, Perez

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Indians GM Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona had an end-of-the-year roundup session with the media, including Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.  Here are some of the hot stove-related items…

  • It isn't yet clear if next season's Tribe payroll will be greater or lower than 2013's $80.6MM number, though Antonetti isn't worried.  "That's information that we'll get a little later in the offseason when we find out exactly what our payroll will be," Antonetti said. "But that's not the defining thing for us. It's how we build a the best team and I'm confident we'll have the resources we need to build a contending team again next year."
  • Pitching seems to be the top priority for the club this winter.  When asked if the Indians would go after a middle-of-the-order hitter, Francona said, “It depends on how much pitching we have.”
  • Ubaldo Jimenez hasn't made a decision about voiding the $8MM option the club has on his services for next season, Antonetti said.  Unsurprisingly, Antonetti said the Tribe would be happy to have Jimenez back in 2014.  MLBTR's Steve Adams wrote a Free Agent Profile on Jimenez last month.
  • Both men want Jason Giambi to return to the Indians next season, either as a player, coach or possibly both.  Giambi has said he wishes to keep playing, so it seems likely the two sides will work something out.
  • The Indians will look at Chris Perez's whole career with the team as "the lens" for his arbitration case, Antonetti said, rather than Perez's poor end to the 2013 season.  Perez earned $7.3MM last season and will get a raise through the arbitration process, so there have been rumors that the Tribe will look to deal or even non-tender the right-hander.
  • Sandy Alomar Jr. will take over as first base coach from Mike Sarbaugh next season, a move that Francona stressed was not a demotion from Alomar's previous job as bench coach.  Brad Mills (Francona's long-time bench coach with the Red Sox) will take over as Cleveland's bench coach, while Sarbaugh completes the shuffle by becoming the new third base coach.
  • Antonetti didn't comment on whether or not the Cubs have asked for permission to interview first base coach Sandy Alomar for their vacant managerial position.  Alomar was a candidate for the Cubs job in 2011 before they hired Dale Sveum, and he's been linked to their current vacancy.
  • Lonnie Chisenhall is still the incumbent third baseman, though Bastian suspects the club will look to improve themselves at the hot corner this winter.
  • The Indians made the playoffs despite subpar seasons from Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher, their two big free agent signings from last offseason.  Francona and Antonetti felt that the two players may have been pressing in a new environment, plus Swisher was affected by a shoulder injury and Bourn was adjusting to the American League.

Minor Moves: Slowey, Rapada, Orioles, Marlins

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Here are today's minor moves and outrights from around the league…

  • In addition to the names mentioned below, the Marlins announced that they outrighted right-hander Kevin Slowey, lefty Zach Phillips and catcher Koyie Hill. Of this most recent trio, Slowey is the most notable. The former Twin and Indian hurled 92 1/3 innings of 4.11 ERA ball with 7.4 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9. The 29-year-old's 28.7 percent ground-ball rate makes him among the game's most extreme fly-ball pitchers. Slowey projected to earn $1.8MM via arbitration this offseason, according to MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. Phillips, 26, posted a strong 2.44 ERA with 11.3 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 59 Triple-A innings this season. Hill, 34, hit .155/.183/.190 in 61 plate appearances for the Fish. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes noted that both Slowey and Hill were non-tender candidates last week.
  • The Indians outrighted lefty Clay Rapada today after he was designated for assignment last week, the team announced. Rapada, 32, pitched to a 1.12 ERA with 20 strikeouts and nine walks in 24 innings at Triple-A Columbus while in the Cleveland organization. He held lefties to a .188/.240/.261 batting line in the minors this season.
  • The Orioles have re-signed two of their minor league free agents, right-hander Marcel Prado and infielder/outfielder Garabez Rosa, according to Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com (on Twitter). Prado, 25, was sharp was sharp in 56 2/3 innings between High-A add Double-A, posting a 2.38 ERA with 9.5 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9. Rosa's numbers were less impressive, as the 23-year-old batted .276/.291/.374 with six homers in 477 plate appearances.
  • The Marlins have outrighted right-handers Steve Ames and Jose Ceda, first baseman Joe Mahoney, infielder Gil Velazquez Triple-A New Orleans, according to the team's transactions page. The 25-year-old Ames was one of three pitchers the Fish acquired from the Dodgers for Ricky Nolasco and the second who was waived since season's end (the Angels claimed Josh Wall last week). The 25-year-old allowed two runs in four big league innings and posted a 3.69 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 46 1/3 Triple-A innings this season. Ceda pitched just four minor league innings in an injury-plagues season. Mahoney hit .190/.200/.262 in 200 Triple-A plate appearances. The 33-year-old Velazquez hit .254/.350/.278 in 392 Triple-A plate appearances between the Yankees and Marlins.
  • As can be seen in MLBTR's DFA Tracker, Victor Marte of the Cardinals is the only player that is currently in DFA limbo.

Managerial Rumors: Girardi, Cubs, Yankees, Ausmus

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The managerial rumor mill is revolving around Joe Girardi right now, as he could be entering his final few weeks as the Yankees' manager.  Here's the latest on Girardi and the Cubs' search for a new skipper…

  • The Cubs are preparing to make Girardi an offer that would make him one of the two highest-paid managers in baseball, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.  The Cubs have yet to receive permission from the Yankees to speak to Girardi but the manager may have requested that the Yankees grant him the ability to speak to the Cubs as one of the "parameters" of accepting a new contract with New York.  Sources tell Wittenmyer that "the Cubs and Girardi have expressed mutual interest through back channels for weeks."
  • We've already heard that A.J. Hinch is on the Cubs' short list for managerial candidates, and Wittenmyer hears that the list also includes Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr.  The Cubs could also have interest in Rays bench coach Dave Martinez and former Nationals and Indians manager Manny Acta.
  • Steve Mandell, Girardi's agent, met with Yankees GM Brian Cashman on Wednesday and "exchanged parameters" on a new deal, according to Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News.  One of those "parameters" could have been the aforementioned persmisson for Girardi to speak to the Cubs, as the Yankees aren't allowing other teams to negotiate with their manager while he is still under contract.
  • The "general consensus" is that Girardi will sign a new three-year, $12-$15MM deal to remain with the Yankees, Feinsand and Madden write.  If Girardi doesn't return to New York, the Cubs and Nationals are known to have an interest in his services as manager, and it's possible Girardi could speak to FOX Sports about a broadcasting job if he wanted some time away from the dugout.
  • Girardi's decision could be made as early as this weekend, Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York reports.
  • There is no interest between Brad Ausmus and the Cubs in the team's managerial job, ESPN Chicago's Jesse Rogers reports.  The Cubs have said they're looking for candidates with managerial experience, so Ausmus (currently a special assistant to baseball operations with the Padres) doesn't fit.

Indians Notes: Giambi, Cabrera, Kazmir, Smith, Cloyd

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The Indians' magical season came to end at the hands of Alex Cobb and the Rays last night, as the Tribe fell 4-0 in the American League Wild Card game. Here's the latest on the Indians, whose focus will now shift to the offseason…

  • Jason Giambi told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he would like to play one more season, making an even 20 for his career (Twitter link). The Giambino hit just .183/.282/.371 in 216 plate appearances this season, but he did belt nine homers, including a dramatic pair of walk-off shots, the latter of which has to be considered one of the highlights of the season for the team.
  • General manager Chris Antonetti brought the team to the playoffs by making bold moves and should continue to be bold by trading Asdrubal Cabrera this winter, opines Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Indians are set to lose Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir to free agency, and Pluto writes that some pitching depth could be added if Antonetti can strike a deal with a team like the Cardinals. Mike Aviles is capable of bridging the gap between the declining Cabrera and top prospect Francisco Lindor, writes Pluto.
  • Kazmir and right-hander Joe Smith both told reporters, including MLB.com's Jordan Bastian, that they hope to return to the Indians in 2014 (Twitter links). Kazmir added that he hopes to pick up where he left off in 2013, and Smith stated, "I don't want that to be my last game."
  • Twenty-four teams passed on Phillies right-hander Tyler Cloyd before the Indians claimed him off waivers yesterday, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. That Cloyd was waived despite having two options left shows that the team was never particularly enamored with him, adds Gelb. Cloyd was part of the proposed package for Astros reliever Wilton Lopez last offseason before the Phils backed off due to concerns over Lopez's elbow.

Quick Hits: Humber, Kuroda, Indians, Mattingly

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The Astros declined their option on Philip Humber earlier today, capping what has been yet another trying season for the 30-year-old former No. 3 overall pick. Despite his struggles, Humber told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that he intends to keep playing: "I’m not hurt. I still enjoy coming to the park and I’m still relatively young. It’s one of those things that’s like, ‘Man, you walk away from it, are you going to look back and think I wish I could have kept going?’ There’s times in the past, I didn’t know if it was going to work out. It’s still fun. It beats working, you know?"

Here's more from around the league as the Rays celebrate a victory over the Indians, setting them up for a date with the Red Sox in the ALDS…

  • During a press conference yesterday, Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters (including Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger) that he hopes Hiroki Kuroda will pitch for his team again in 2014. Cashman said that Kuroda was the Yanks' ace in 2013 but admitted that he wasn't sure what the future holds for the right-hander. McCullough quotes Kuroda as saying that while anything's possible, he hasn't given serious consideration to returning to Japan for his final season.
  • Indians CEO Paul Dolan deserves credit for sticking with team president Mark Shapiro and GM Chris Antonetti, writes Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The duo's presence helped lure manager Terry Francona to Cleveland, and Francona's presence helped to make the Indians a more attractive destination for free agents Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn, Scott Kazmir, Jason Giambi and Ryan Raburn, adds Pluto.
  • Manager Don Mattingly says he's happy to be with the Dodgers and has no interest in the Yankees' job in the event that Joe Girardi doesn't return, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today.  It's possible that Mattingly could be available this winter as L.A. holds a $1.4MM club option on his contract for 2014.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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